The case for fit-for-purpose IT

Many mid market companies under-invest in IT or make purchasing decisions which focus on technology instead of business need. The result is an IT infrastructure which grows like a patchwork quilt without any real strategy or direction. Whilst this approach may appear to address short term issues, in the longer term the following issues manifest;

Frequent failures of IT (management, systems or service delivery) disrupt business operations and have a detrimental impact on customer service
Poor quality or obsolete systems present an untenable risk to business operations
IT resources are constantly fire-fighting as problems are never permanently resolved
Reactive, short term investment decisions are made which leads to waste and encourages a culture of throwing money at problems
IT has a bad reputation as end users perceive a poor service.

In summary, IT is not aligned with business goals or fit for the purpose of supporting business needs. Compare that to the scenario where fit-for-purpose IT is implemented based on a cohesive strategy aligned with business goals;

IT systems are taken for granted as they are reliable and responsive
Business operations are not threatened by obsolete or poor quality systems
IT support is delivered in a professional, controlled way
IT spend is focussed on items which deliver real business benefit and waste is reduced.

Ultimately, IT contributes to business success instead of being a costly, necessary evil.